Plate-lifter



(No Model.)

s. "MICKEY. A PLATE LIFTER.

Patented May '7, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcE.

AMUEL TIMOTHY MICKEY, OF SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

PLATE-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 402,606, dated May '7, 1889. Application filed April 7,1838- Serial No. 269,979] (No model.)

To add whom it mayconcern.

Be it known that I, SAMUEL TIMOTHY ll/IICKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Hot-Plate Lifters, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a combined platelifter and toaster; and it has for its object to provide a simple and cheap device, whereby the hot plates in which bread, pie, or other food has just been cooked can be safely and conveniently lifted, and, furthermore, it has for its object to provide a toaster which may be readily attached to and detached from the lifter. v

With these objects in view the invention consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of devices, fully set forth hereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, Figure 1 is aperspective view of the device with the plate to which it is applied shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof with the toaster applied in the operative position.

' Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View of the pawl and the portion of the shank having the ratchet, to show the operation of the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the plate and the shank.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the outer and B the inner jaw of the lifter, each composed of wire of suitable size and stiffness. The said outer jawis at the end of and is a continuation of the double wire shank O, the wires 0 c of which are united by solder or other suitable means. The end of the said shank may be formed with a hook or ring, as at D, by which to suspend the device when not in use, or a wooden handle, d, may be secured upon it, as shown in Fig. 2.

The jaw A consists of the parts E, diverging at equal angles and to equal distances from the shank, the parts e c extending ver tically downward therefrom, the parts ffru11- ning inward a proper distance parallel to and below the parts E, and the single wire F, connecting the parts f, which single wire is regularly bent and has its convexity outward.

The inner jaw, B, consists of the two similar and parallel parts G G, standing on each side of the shank O, the parts G G bent outwardly at right angles therefrom, the parts 9 g bent vertically downward from the parts G, and having the parts h bent to equal distances outward from their lower ends, and the single wire II connecting the outer ends of the said parts h. The wire II has its con vexity, which is regular, inward and opposes the single wire F. The parallel parts G of the inner jaware secured in the rolled or wrapped edges 2' i of the metal plate I, and the shank 0 passes through a sleeve, J, se-

cured to the lower surface of the said plate curved wire II of the inner jaw is caused by sliding the jaw to engage under the opposite portion of the said flange, the parts being so proportioned that the said curved wires are a sufficient distance below the shank and the diverging wires to prevent the same from coming in contact with the food within the plate.

One great advantage of the described construction is that the wires F and H by their curvature conform to the shape of the plate, and therefore, by giving a long bearing thereto, avoid or lessen the risk of allowing the same to fall.

To hold the movable jaw in any desired position to suit the size of the plate to which the lifter is applied, I provide the inner end of the plate I with an upward offset or pro.- jection, K, on which is mounted the upper end of the pawl L, and this pawl is provided with a vertical slot, M, which embraces the shank C. The upper side of the shank is provided with the ratchet m, and the lower end of the pawl is weighted to normally hold the upper end of the slot M in engagement with the ratchet.

The teeth of the ratchet are inclined out- .ward, so that the movablejaw may be moved toward the outer jaw at will 5 but it cannot be moved away from the outer jaw without previously raising (and thereby disengaging) the pawl from the ratchet. The ratchet is formed by teeth out in the upper edge of the toothed bar or plate, between the wires 0 c, forming the shank, as shown in the drawings.

N represents the toaster attachment; and it consists of the plate 0, extending across the outer end of the jaw A, and having the flanges P P on its ends engaging the vertical parts e e of the said jaw, and the fingers Q, which are attached to the outer side of the said plate. The fingers consist of wire loops, which are attached at their ends to the plate and have their central portions bent upward to form hooks. The flanges on the ends of the plate are inclined inward to engage around the part-s 6, so that when the toaster is applied to the plate-lifter the lower ends of the said flanges must be engaged with the upper ends of the parts 6 and the plate slid down until its lower edge rests on the wire F.

Having thus described the invention, I claim-- 1. In a plate lifter, the metal plate I, provided with. a central longitudinal sleeve, J, and the rolls M on its under side, and the inner jaw provided with the inwardly-convex wire H, and having its extensions G G secured in the rolls 1', in combination with the outer jaw provided with the outwardly-convex wire F, facing the wire H, and the shank 0, formed by two adjoining portions or extensions of the wire of which the outer jaw consists and sliding in the sleeve J, substantially as specified.

2. The improved plate-lifter comprising the plate I, the inner jaw affixed to the plate I and consisting of the diverging parts G G, the vertical parts g 9, depending from the ends of the parts G G, the converging parts 72/ h, extending outward from the lower ends of the parts g g, and the curved portion H, extendingbetween the parts 72/ h and having its convexity inward, and the outer jaw provided witha shank sliding on the plate I and composed of the diverging parts E E, the vertical portion 6 e, depending from the ends of the parts E E, the converging parts f f, extending inward from the ends of the parts 6 e, and the outwardly-convex portion F, connecting the parts ff, as specified.

3. The combination, with the plate-lifter having the rigid jaw A and the movable jaw B, of the removable toaster attached to the jaw A, and having fingers arranged thereon, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the plate-lifter having the jaw A, provided with the vertical portions 0 e, of the toaster N, comprising the plate 0, having the inclined flanges P P, engaging the said vertical portions (2, and the hook-shaped fingers Q, consisting of loops secured at their ends to the said plate, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

5. The herein-described plate-lifter, comprising the plate I, provided at its rear end with an offset or projection, K, and having a sleeve, J, on its under side, the inner jaw, B, at the front end of the plate, having the de pending parts g g, and rearwardly-convexed wire H, connecting the lower ends of the said parts/the shank G,extendin g through the sleeve J and provided at its rear end with the ratchet m, the outer jaw on the opposite end of the said shank having the depending parts e e, and the forwardly-convexed wire F, connecting the lower ends of the said depending parts, and the pawl L, pivoted at its upper end to the ofiset or proj ect-ion K and provided with an opening, M, fitting around and sliding on the shank O, the upper side of the said opening engaging the teeth of the ratchet m to lock the jaws A B in the desired relative position, substantially as specified.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL TIMOTHY MICKEY.

\Vitnesses:

I. E. MIcKEY, W. O. GENSEMAN. 

